New Starts
by thelastbumblebee
Summary: A kind of "Second chances" part 2, it's all a bit fluffy to start - but Vera'll be back - and she'll be busy being evil!
1. Chapter 1

_**This is a continuation from my first A/B A/U modern fan fic - It'll be a bit happy and Fluffy for a while - but don't think that Vera wont be rearing her head again in a few chapters time!**_

_**Enjoy and review should you feel compelled!**_

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><p>The flat was in semi darkness, all the lights were off apart from the strip of glow coming from under the bedroom door, ever since he had moved into Anna's flat a year ago John had quickly got used to her shift work patterns, and learnt that he should check the timetable on the fridge before he started clatter-banging the pots and pans about – lest she be on earlies and he incurred the wrath of a sleep deprived Anna. She wasn't on earlies, she was on nights, so John could make as much noise as he liked – because if she wasn't up yet – she would soon have to be.<p>

"Anna, it's half six, do you want your tea with me before you go to work? … Anna?" he waited and called again, but there was still no reply, carefully depositing his keys on the kitchen counter and putting his coat on the sofa arm he opened the bedroom door. Anna was in her uniform, showered and ready for work, she was at on the side of the bed – crosslegged – she looked up when John walked in. He could see at once that she was worried and immediately his mind thought of Vera, it had been almost a year since their divorce and the restraining order on her was cast iron. But still he worried.

"Anna? What is it? What's wrong?"

"I'm late …"

"No you're not, it's only half past six, you don't have to leave until eight."

"No … I'm late – late."

"Wha … Oh Jesus … well …. I mean is that … what is … does that … does it mean you're pregnant."

"No no … but I think the 4 positive pregnancy tests in my draw might mean I am."

"Christ …"

" … We're having a baby John – I'm having your child … Jesus!"

"Christ in Hell … Anna we're having a baby!" he beamed throwing his arm around her, being with Anna was the first time he ha allowed him self to consider a future, staring a family, growing old and doing the gardening. But he had never dreamed it would happen so soon – or indeed that it would ever really happen. But he supposed that eventually it would have happened soon or later the way they had been carrying on, she curled her legs up under her self and burrowed into John's shoulder.

"You are happy aren't you?"

"I am – you have no idea how happy I am John – it's just a shock that's all." She lay back across the bed, pulling John down to join her, he slid an arm around her waist, using the other to run a finger down her cheek. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and he really did love her, although however much he loved her and however much he was thrilled about her having his child, there were associated difficulties. For a start he still hadn't introduced Anna to his Mother, she lived in Cobh, Co. Cork, which is a schlep and a half by anyone's standards, and more than that, John's mother had always been very vocal regarding John's taste in women.

"You know," he began, resting a hand on her belly, feeling the warmth through her uniform, " you're going to have to meet my mother now …"

"I know, I was going to have to one day wasn't I! And that's good, I'm here to stay John Bates – you can't keep me a secret all our life." Which was a pity, John enjoyed having Anna all to himself, but if they were going to have a baby then he would have to bite the bullet and share her with his mother.

"You're worried aren't you, John? Well you shouldn't be – why don't we do baby steps first … no pun intended. Introduce me to your friends here in Leeds first – we can work from there."

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><p><p>

Introducing Anna to Michael O'Reilly was one thing; they had been friends for almost 40 years in Dublin, Michael was an old friend, he knew the real John. But his friend's in Leeds knew him only as the quiet man, deep in his books and deep in his own life.

" You're gonna' have to be nice now Chris … John's girlfriend could be a 71 year old balding nympho … you still gotta be nice man."

"Don't be daft Sean, I know John's not got a brilliant track record, but not even he's scraping the barrel that far down." The two men sat in the corner of the pub, nursing their pints together, a packet of pork scratchings split between them on the table. The door to the left of the bar opened revealing John Bates with a young woman on his arm. A young blond woman, younger than any of the three men, with long blond hair tied back in a loose pony tail that settled on her shoulders.

"Holy mother of …"

"Wow – she is …"

"What is she doing with him …"

" … maybe he's a brilliant cook?"

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><p><em><strong>This is just a short one - I wanted to get into the swing of things before I get cracking<strong>_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter two - I hope you enjoy this one - still a bit fluffy - it will all go Pete Tong at some point though - fear not!**_

_**please review - always good to hear!**_

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><p>With his arm slipped around her waist John led Anna up the street towards their flat, the air was cool and they were both curled up in their coats and scarfs. The pub had been a nice evening, Chris and Sean had been nice to Anna, they were always ribbing him for never having a girlfriend, jokes about shoe sizes abound. But they had soon shut up when they had seen Anna, John was proud to have her on his arm, looking gorgeous as always , she was funny and dry and the two men seemed to like her, bar the single comment from Sean when they went to the bar about John being her sugar daddy – a joke that stung John, Sean was well known for a poor taste in jokes. Anna had heard the jibe when she came over to help carry the drinks back, John had seen her rile out of the corner of his eye, he had shot her a look – tried to show that it wasn't worth it, and she had backed down, he saw the fire in her eyes burn out. As if to prove Sean wrong, for the benefit of John's confidence as much as anything, she slid a hand under the back of his shirt, tracing her nails along his spine she grinned up at him, she leant up and kissed him softly on the lips.<p>

"Ignore him – even if you were my sugar daddy … you'd be an excellent one!" she said to him laughing into his chest as she hugged him, extracting her hand from his shirt.

Inside the flat, Anna flopped onto the sofa, John flicked on the kettle, filling a pair of mugs with tea bags.

"Are you making tea? Oh – you're amazing! This not drinking thing is knackering."

"Ha, tell me about it! … Sooo – my mother wants to meet you." He said awkwardly, handing Anna her tea and settling down next to Anna. She twisted round on the sofa, resting her back against the arm-rest she lay her legs across his lap.

"We'll that's OK – I'd like to meet her, you've met my parents. And they liked you – I've told you that enough times. We could go over to Cork for a couple of days couldn't we?"

"Yes," He began, absent-mindedly tracing a hand along her thigh. " but my mother she's … she's got pretty strong opinions on my taste in women, it might take a while before likes you."

"All the more reason to see her soon, it'll be harder once we've had the baby …" John caught her eye and grinned, their baby – it would take some getting used to for him, the idea of being a father terrified him, but at the same time was somehow exhilarating. Anna beamed back at him, she knew what he was thinking, she had always wanted children – at some point, but after a spate of disastrous relationships in her early 20's and late teens Anna had pretty much put the idea of settling down on a back burner and here she was, expecting a baby with this truly lovely man, and just for once, just for that moment with the two of them sat on the sofa, drinking tea in the 10pm cool of the flat Anna felt that everything was right in her life.

"… Once we've had the baby," She continued, "and we're settled down we can take him or her over to see your Mam, but that isn't a good first time for us to meet."

"No … I suppose you're right. I'll telephone her in the morning, and we can tell her about the baby when we're up there. She gave up on the hope of a grandchild years ago – the shock might kill her if I say it over the phone." Anna smiled and downing the last of her tea stood up to go to bed, stretching her back out from being crunched up on the sofa, holding out a hand to John she led him to bed, she wanted her perfect moment to carry on just a little while longer.

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><p>Anna's eyes flickered open, she smiled to herself as the baby moved again, waking her from her dozing half sleep. Most days she could feel the baby wriggling and kicking, John still couldn't feel anything, not wanting him to feel left out she tried not to mention when she felt the baby move too often, but as he walked back into the bedroom he saw the look of her face.<p>

"Baby's moving again isn't it?"

"Yeah – sorry …"

"Don't be, why are you sorry? In four months time we'll have a, hopefully beautiful, baby, and I can feel all the wriggling I want then."

"What d'you mean 'hopefully'?"

"Love – I'm the brains – you're the beauty, but the poor baby might end up with my looks instead – and that'd be disastrous!"

"No it wouldn't – well unless he looked freakishly like you, then we might have some kind of creepy Oedipus stuff going on!" Anna rolled onto her back chuckling to her self, pregnancy seemed to have given her a slightly warped sense of humour. The bump was getting bigger by the day, 21 weeks, her maternity leave was booked, there was a half assembled cot in the spare bedroom, and she was well stocked with maternity fit leggings – and yet, something made her uncomfortable, John's mother still didn't know, the flight was booked for 3pm from Manchester airport to Cork, but with her reasonably obvious bump it would be clear to John's mother that she was the last to find out, something Anna felt slightly guilty about.

"Here!" Anna grabbed John's hand and held it to the left side of her bump, John spread his fingers over her warm skin and just for a second he felt the fluttering thump as the baby moved, it was a tiny fragile movement, barely perceptible – but he had felt it, felt his unborn child move inside Anna. And nothing could make him happier.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3 - hope you enjoy! Please review - it's always good to hear!**_

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><p>"Sit down, sit down. My my, you two have been busy haven't you ... were you planning on telling me at any point? Or were you just going to post me the christening invitation?"<p>

"Mother ... I -"

"_We_ didn't just want to tell you over the telephone Mrs Bates, we wanted to to tell you in person. But what with work ... I'm sorry we should have told you sooner."

"Well that's very good of you, I appreciate that at least. How far gone are you Anna?"

"21 weeks, five months - almost six."

"So I suppose it's too late to expect a wedding?"

"We will get married at some point Mother - Anna?"

"Of course we will, just under our own steam Mrs Bates."

"Brigid please my dear, if you're pregnant with my son's child then you can at least call me by my Christian name. So will the child be a Bates or a Smith?"

"A Bates, as will I be come the time."

"Well, I'm happy about that at least. John, you go and put the kettle on - go on ... So Anna, you're the woman who's been making my John so happy this last year. Congratulations, I haven't met many who've managed that."

"Thank you - he makes me very happy too. We are very happy. You know John wanted to tell you earlier, but it's been hard for him. Even though Vera's been sent on her way ... he's finding it hard to settle down. He's on edge, and worried about what others will think - there's a bit of an age difference, and I think that worried him, and the idea of settling down after so much unrest."

"What is the age gap? Out of interest."

"Fifteen years."

"Well, that's not too bad. John was always wary of happiness - Vera did that to him. She was a cruel woman, I never understood why he chose her, even at their wedding she had such a smug look on her face, as if she had taken the star prize of someone ... but if he's got a nice girl like you now - then that's no bad thing!"

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><p>Anna sat on the edge of the bed as the door clicked open and John walked in, windswept and looking concerned.<p>

"John, where were you? I was getting worried, are you OK? You look like death ... John?"

"She's here, Vera, I saw her on Rahily street ... she was just walking along, I saw her and she saw me ..."

"Did you speak to her?" asked Anna, raising up to lay a hand on John's arm, now was not the time for him to loose his temper with his ex-wife.

"No - no, I just saw her, if I spoke to her it'd break the restraining order. I don't want to speak to her - I just went out for a breath of fresh air and there she was ... I went to see the registry office." he caught her jaw in her hand, running his fingers up her cheek, slipping her arms around his waist she pulled him in, asking:

"You asked about the marriage license? And?"

"Three months notice, we have to go and see the registrar along with our passports and all that kind of thing - we could be married before the baby's born Anna ..."

"Do you want to? What about your Mam?"

"I do,I really do - but only if you want to ... She likes you."

"Really?" Anna asked, reclining back in the warm bed, her belly sticking out in her pyjama top, her muscles were aching from the day of traveling and she arched her back to stretch out. "I wasn't sure if she would."

"No - she does. And she's good reason to be, you're a good woman Anna Smith." He sat down next to he, one hand on her waist he leant down and kissed her, his other hand lost in her hair that pooled on the pillow. "I'm worried about Vera, If she knew that you were pregnant ... she'd be furious."

"Well she doesn't need to know, what business is it of hers? She's not you're wife anymore, you've got restraining orders out against eachother for christ sakes - why are you worried? Come here" She lifted her arms, looping them around his neck, pulling him down so that he lay beside her, his arms pulled her in close to him so he could smell her scent. Seeing Vera like that again had stirred a bubble of hatred within him, she squeezed Anna into him tighter, trying to block out the lamp light froim the bedside table by burrowning into her shoulder. Would he never be free of Vera, Anna moved his head, turning him towards her she kissed him. Turning onto her side she shuffled up closer to him until she was balled up in to his arms, he feel her warm breath on his arm as she turned her head. Carefully switching off the bedside lamp, John and Anna lay in the dark silence feeling the warmth of the bed absorbing them.

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><p>Anna sat at the table, carefully eating her way through the toast on her plate, she was hunger and nauseous at the same time and it was very annoying, she tried to move on to the tea, which was marginally more succesful. John was looking pale again, she worried when he worried, which in turn made him worried, and guilty - it was all one rubbish vicious circle. Brigid Bates was sat at the head of the table sipping her cup of tea, watching the couple infront of her. John looked worried, she didn't know why, he'd no reason to be - this Anna girl obviosuly made him happy, she could see by the way he looked at her, and she at him ... they were a good couple. Anna was nice, she had her head screwed on, that much was clear - and it was obvious that pregnancy suited her, she glowed, even with the look of nausia in her eyes as she eyed up the toast on her plate. There was a sharp knock at the door, three brisk hard knocks.<p>

"I'll go, no - no, really it's fine!" Anna went to answer the door, the morning air was crisp and cold, it took her eyes a second to adjust to the auntumn morning light, it was a second until she saw the two men infront of her clearly, she saw the pale blue shirts, the pair of navy ties, the peaked caps and the luminescent yellow jackets. Her hand went to her belly on instinct.

"Good morning Miss, I'm Garda Hennessy and this is Garda O'Shea, is there a Mr John Bates in the house?"

"There is ... John! John come here ... it's the Gardai ..." Anna turned down the hallway, she saw John move down the hallway, he leant on his stick at the door way, looking the two gardai up and down, Anna saw for a split second the two garda exchange swift glances, this was not the man thety were expecting to have found at this house.

"John Bates?"

"I am - what's this about?" Anna shuffled round to put a hand at John's elbow

"Can we come in Sir, it might be best ..." the shorter of the two Garda, O'Shea nodded at Anna's bump discreatly. Anna looked up at John, he was bristling, he was nevrous, Anna could tell - his criminal record was at the forefront of both their minds.

Sat with the two Garda in Brigid Bates's living room Anna linked her hand into John's, he hadn't said much to the Gardai.

"I don't understand, what am I accused of here."

"You're ex-wife Mr Bates, came to the Carrigaline Garda station, at 7 am this morning, claiming that you accosted her late last night on Rahily street. You attacked her and this morning she was pursuaded by her domestic partner Mr Seamus Donahue to go to her local Garda station."

"But for god sake man, why would I want to go and see that woman? I'll admit I saw her on the street but then I came straight back to see Anna ..."

"We have CCTV footage of you speaking to Ms Vera MacKenna, on Rahily street, Cobh Co. Cork at 5.45 last night. Your fiance Miss Smith has already told us that you went out last night." Anna turned in her seat to face John, had he really lied to her? He had told her that that he hadden't spoken to Vera, but if the Garda had CCTV of the two of them talking.

"I'm sorry Sir, John Bates, you are being arested on suspicion on a count of actual bodily harm against Ms Vera MacKenna of 64 Ballinrea road, Carrigaline Co. Cork on the night of the 16th of October, you have the right to remain silent, but anything you do say will be taken down and may be used in evidence. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Sir, if you could just stand up for me ... Miss Smith, you'll have to let go ... Miss Smith."

"Anna ... let go ... please."

"You can't ... this is some sort of mistake ..."

"I'm sorry Anna - I love you ..."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4 - I have no knowledge of the legal system anywhere in the world - so this is pretty much cobbled together from years of watching Silent Witness and Waking the Dead ... I hope it's accurate enough to not be annoying! **_

_**I hope you like this scene - could John be safe? ... you'll have to wait and see!**_

_**Please review - it's always lovely to hear from you!**_

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><p>"Interview on the fourth of December, two thousand and twelve, time is ... ten fifty am, present in the room is arresting officer Garda Michael O'Shea, and Inspector Ita Fergus. Questioning of Mr John Bates arrested, charged with the attack of Ms Vera MacKenna on the evening of third of December twenty twelve. Excellent - so ... can you please confirm for the tape that you are Mr John Bates, 13b Calverly street Leeds, West Yorkshire, England?<p>

"I am."

"And that you have declined legal representation for the time being ..."

"I have."

"Excellent - so Mr Bates, in your own words, what happened yesterday evening when you met Ms MacKenna on Rahily street?"

"I went out for a breath of air, I wanted to ... uh ... I went to see the registry office, my fiance (?) Anna and I ... I wanted to see how much notice we had to give to marry. I went there and then was walking back via Rahily street, and ... I saw Vera, she was just walking towards me - I don't think she saw me until she got about ten feet away."

"You didn't turn back? When you saw her, even though it would break your restraining order?"

"I did not - She stopped and said hello - she wanted to know what I was doing in Cobh, I told her it was none of her business. She said that Philip Jameson, my Mothers neighbor, had told her a young pregnant woman was staying with my mother and me ... I said yes, that Anna was pregnant and that Vera should stay away from us ... she swore at me and walked off the way she had come towards the pub - I waited a while and then on back to mothers house."

"In the same direction as Ms MacKenna had just gone?"

"... Yes - but I didn't see her again - I went straight on home to Anna, I was with her all night - you can check with Anna ..."

"We have Sir, Miss Smith says that you arrived home at approximately seven pm. The CCTV from Rahily street in Cobh shows that you saw Ms MacKenna at five forty five last night. That's enough time for you to pick up your car from the corner of the road, and drive to Ms MacKenna's flat in Carrigaline half an hour away, attack her and then drive home to Miss Smith."

"But that's bollocks ... I didn't do that ... I'd swear to it - I do swear to it! I know I have previous counts of violence against the Garda, but that was a long time ago - almost ten years, I still drank then for Christ's sake, I was a different man, I was miserable. Inspector Fergus you have got to believe me - I have Anna and a baby on the way - I haven't touched a drop in the last three years, I have known Anna for the past eighteen months and I have been sober for every one of those days. She has seen the real me and she has never seen me violent."

"Undoubtedly so Sir, but we only have your word that you were sober last night. Ms MacKenna reported eight cases of domestic abuse against you during your marriage ..."

"That's lies, that's nothing more than lies - she lies - that's all she ever did. I never touched a hair on that woman's head - I rowed with her day and night so I did - but Jesus did she row back. Every-time the Gardai came around to take a statement she wouldn't let them see her injuries - why? Because it was all fabricated."

"Right ... well - i think that that's all we can take for now Mr Bates, we'll get you a cup of something ... interview suspended at ... eleven twelve am."

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><p>Anna sat in Mr Murray's office, as much as she had tried to keep John's situation out of their friends and families consciousness but Robert Crawley had found out and put Anna in touch with the factory's law firm; Murray, Murray and Murray, although the two first Mr Murray's were now dead - leaving only the younger, now middle aged Mr Murray. He was a kind man, with a 25 year old daughter of his own he liked Anna. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the pregnant young woman, her eyes ringed red, when she came into his office on the cold Tuesday morning. Robert had explained the salient facts of John Bates' case over the telephone and Murray was unconvinced, as far as he was concerned John Bates must be a guilty man. CCTV - showing him meeting up with this Vera Bates, a criminal record - with a history of violence, 'no smoke without fire' was Murray's own personal motto. But despite his reservations here was the gentle young woman, with the glow of pregnancy on her face, here she was to defend her lover. Admirable was the word that sprang to mind.<p>

"Mr Murray I ... I don't care how you do it, but please, you have to get John off this charge ... it's ridicules. John would never ... could never!"

"He has previous I believe ...?" Said Murray leafing through the buff file he had had sent over from Ireland, "Eight accusations of domestic abuse - imprisoned for attacking a member of the ... uh ... Garda. It doesn't look good I'm afraid Miss Smith, whether he is guilty or not - a judge will see 'ex - convict' and be done with it."

"Well, what's the best we can do?"

"Well - first things first: we need to get him out on bail - now that he's been charged. Then we can work with him to get him acquitted, Miss Smith ... are you really sure that John didn't do this? I'm not asking because I doubt you, but we must be sure that you're not letting your heart rule your head - and that you're not perverting the course of justice."

"I know - that John Bates didn't do it."

"OK - very well then we can begin to look at sorting out the defense. The only concrete evidence they have is the CCTV - and that just shows them talking - nothing more, all other evidence is circumstantial. That's good for us Miss Smith - and good for your Mr Bates too."


	5. Chapter 5

_**I haven't been happy with my last few chapters - so I've done a lot of work on this one to try and get it up to scratch - and I hope you enjoy it and get the benefit!**_

_**just as an aside - I wrote the word "cwtch" in without thinking - and then realised that anyone from outside of Wales probably wont know what it means - it's a Welsh word that basically means that a hug, but the kind of hug you can only get off of someone you really love, it's also a sort of safe place ... that's the best definition I can give ... it's just a cwtch basically!**_

_**As ever - please review - good and bad - it's always good to hear!**_

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><p>"Anna, can you sort out that Mr Philips in bed 8?" Jane called across the nurses station, "William's just buggered up another calculation and Mr Philip's threatening to sue us. Go and sweet talk him - you're good at that!"<p>

"Ha, I was good at that ... before I became a body double for Johnny Vegas!" Said Anna, walking slowly across the A&E department, she could feel the weight of the baby in her back and on her pelvis. The baby was making itself known, wriggling constantly, much to John's delight.

"Oh come on, you're not that bad! When I was pregnant with Freddie I was the size of a small car - honestly! You look fine - you're all bump anyway."

"Yeah - that's because I've not been eating properly the last few months ... thinking about things with John."

"Here - you're not getting cold feet about you and John are you?" Anna shook her head, picking up Mr Philips file she quickly flicked through - checking out William's mishap.

"No no it's just ... I mean I know he's out on bail - and that I should be grateful, but ... if the trail goes badly he could end up in prison for anything up to five years ... and I'm not sure if I could cope with that." Anna's voice cracked, she was finding it tough, she didn't want to tell John how hard it was for her, he had enough on his plate. This was the first time in the past month that she had been able to voice her true feelings. Jane put a hand on Anna's shoulder, they had never been particularly close, Anna and Jane, she had closer friends in Gwen and Ethyl, but they were both young women, preoccupied with boyfriends and nights on tiles - which was of course how it should be - but it did mean that Anna couldn't talk to either of them about things with her and John. It meant that she couldn't tell them that when she was lying in bed, with his arm around her waist, his hand splayed out on the swell of her belly feeling the warmth of their baby curled up inside her, that when she was lying in bed, when she should be feeling full of happiness that she was wide awake, thinking of all the eventualities ... What if John went to prison? What if she had to give up her job? What if her Mam wouldn't see her with a convict for a partner? What if their child hated John? Or even worse - what if the baby didn't know him? Would John be able to cope? What if he was a ruined man when he came home? ... What if John had lied to her - what if he really had attacked Vera? ... Was their relationship based entirely on lies? Jane squeezed Anna's forearm.

"You will, you will because you love him - I know that, you know that ... and I hope he knows that. I've met your John - and I don't think he would do what this Vera has accused him of, he's a lovely gentle man who adores you and would never do anything to ruin what the two of you have got. And as for you worrying about coping, you mustn't be so daft, you're going to be a Mam, of course you'll cope - it's what we do! Now come and see to Mr Phillips - or he'll be suing you for negligence!"

"Thank you ... no really I mean it, thank you."

"Don't mention it - and you know ... I know you don't want to - but you can talk to John - you should talk to him."

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><p>John eased Anna off him, turning onto his side he laid an arm across her, pulling her to him.<p>

"Who ever decided on the location of the baby during pregnancy, really didn't take into account me having such a gorgeously sexy girlfriend."

"Are you saying I'm getting too big?" Said Anna doing her best to look huffy as John lent in for a kiss, and failing miserably, she enjoyed the feel of his warm body beside her too much to act annoyed.

"Not at all - you're actually managing to lose weight while pregnant ... and I'm not surprised - you're barely eating - which I know is my fault, hey who needs a baby when you've got a middle aged man to worry about!"

"Perhaps I could hire you out to all those yummy mummy's desperate to fit back into their skinny jeans within a week of giving birth ... I'm sorry I know I haven't been eating properly ... I am worried - about you, about us, about the baby ... about everything. If you want I'll start mainlining cheese cake every night."

"Yes please! ... Tell me what's worrying you - everything ... I am yours Anna Smith - all yours, and I need to know what's wrong." Anna inhaled, she looked up past John's head - looking out the window to see the moon emerging from behind a cloudy shroud. John reached down to pull the sheets over them, in the warm cotton cocoon she cwtched up into his embrace, the bump of their baby between them pressing against his stomach.

"I'm worried that I'm going to lose you, and that if I do ... you'll be gone for so long that our child wont know who you are, and all their memories of you will be from behind some bullet proof glass ... and I'm afraid that you've lied to me ... that you did attack Vera ... and that I don't know you at all." Anna felt the hot tears start to seep out of her eyes, she could hear John breathing steadily from behind her closed eyes, he gave a deep breath in and lent in to kiss her forehead.

"I have never lied to you Anna, even about the things I would have quite happily never told you, because I love you, more than you could ever know - and more than I can ever tell you. And trust me Anna, as much as I can predict my future, I am going no-where. I am going to work my hardest with Mr Murray at the solicitors office to win this case, we are going to beat that woman, me and you and Mr Murray - beat her ... in a completely non abusive non violent sense ..." Anna laughed. "And I know you're worried that I'll end up locked away for five years or whatever - but that's not going to happen, what Vera is accusing me of will get me a year - eighteen months at the limit. And ever if that does happen - then I'll do everything I can to be let out for good behavior. But that is purely a contingency plan - because we are going to get through this you and I Anna Smith - you and I together."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Here we are - hope you enjoy this chaper - there's annother one on the way directly - so we'll be in the midst of the court case before you know it!**_

_**Please comment - posative or negative - always good to hear!**_

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><p>Anna sat down in the warm clammy side room, what was it about government buildings that meant that the heating only came on come May, and was switched off come October? She smoothed her palms down her legs trying to wipe some of the sweat off, before making another attempt at gripping the polystyrene cup of tea that was too weak and milky for her, made with old tea bags that made the lukewarm liquid taste stale. The dress was a navy stretchy thing that she had picked up in town at the last minute, apparently pregnant women aren't allowed to dress smartly, it wasn't obscenely low cut or stupidly short, it was dark and fitted over her bump and therefore ticked enough of the boxes to be her 'court dress'.<p>

"Ahh Miss Smith, thank you for coming - you're looking very smart!" Said a voice from behind her, the thick carpeting in Cork Court (which was hard enough too say with a clear head let alone a head filled with the swirling hormones of the heavily pregnant) meant that everyone seemed to glide around in silence, every footfall muffled by the dark blue fibers.

"Thank you Mr Murray - I had to buy a new dress, but who knows - maybe it'll get another outing if John gets prosecuted again next time I'm pregnant."

"Anna - I know this is hard for you but we really are doing are best for John..."

"I know - I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. How's it going out there, how's John?"

"He's ... he'll be fine, worried about you - so try not to look too much like the end is nigh when you get out there. You'll have to stay in here for now I'm afraid, which might be for the best - it's pretty stuffy in there and it's not much fun watching one's loved one's on trial, in you're condition ..."

" - I'm pregnant Mr Murray, not ill."

"Yes well - even so! Why don't you go and get some fresh air? And a cup of tea - proper tea that is - there's a cafe round the corner so I'm told. You've got about twenty minutes before you need to be back ... Robert Crawley flew in this morning from Leeds, he's giving a character witness, and the Doctor who treated Ms MacKenna at the hospital is here - hopefully that'll shed some light on the case and give John a hand. Of course there's the matter of John's criminal record ..." Mr Murray tailed off - Anna Smith didn't need to hear about that, in her condition she needed to here how he was going to get John off the charges. Charles Murray had been a lawyer for a long time, longer than he cared to remember, and he never got emotionally involved in his cases - one couldn't, but there was something about this couple - when he spoke to them, when he read the file he saw all they had come through to be together and had an overwhelmingly strong urge to protect them, which was silly since they were both clearly capable of looking after themselves.

Resigned to being treated like an invalid Anna stood up, there was just 6 weeks to go now, which seemed scary and amazing to Anna all at the same time, in 6 weeks she would be a mother, in six weeks she and John would have a child. When she had first found out she had been devistated, she was loathed to admit this to herself - let alone voice it to anyone else, it was only with John's infectious excitment that she came round to the idea. The baby showed the Anna that she was living in the real world, with rent to pay and the Saturday big shop, with fuel strikes and military coups, and Anna had wanted just a little longer cocooned in her safe warm bubble, of just her and John, a bubble that the grey of Leeds couldn't penetrait and the the clipped concerned tones of permatanned, hairsprayed newsreaders didn't reach them. But now, in the face of Vera's court case, and the thought of being seperated from John for a year the baby represented something different, not the the cold light of reality, but the dawn light of new beginings.

"Yes, I think I'll go and get myself some tea, this cups getting to dispiriting, it tastes like someone's tortured the tea bag into producing tea."

* * *

><p>John pulled the packed of Silk Cut from his jacket pocket, smoking Silk Cut he could just about convince himself that he wasn't really smoking. Holding the lighters flame to the tip the ciggarette paper crackled and the tobacco glowed, he inhaled deeply before letting the long thin column of silver grey smoke out of his mouth. He stood against the wall of the court, now that the case had begun he had to be escorted for his fag break by a Garda, this one was in his early twenties with greasy red hair that was gelled into tufts but the muggy heat of the courtroom had caused to wilt into rather sad little peaks that flopped into his eyes. From his vatage point at the side of the court building John could see the rest of the street mapped out infront of him, the trees were the lime green of spring and a cool wind blew across the street. Taking annother drag on his ciggarette John watched a young woman walking across the street, she crossed the road and headed into the cafe on the corner. Something about her rung a bell of recognition in the back of his mind, she was dressed in a black dress that did nothing to hide her pregnancy, her blond hair was straight and pulled straight back of her face, which made her look tired, tireder and paler that she ought to have looked. It wasn't until a good five minuets had passed and the young woman had come out od the coffee shop, a paper cup in one hand, facing John as she walked backtowards the court that John could see her face, it was Anna, his woman who had stolen his heart and who he thought about for every waking moment that he wasn't with her. He looked at her, still beautiful, still the woman he loved, but exhuasted - he remembered when she had lain in his arms in Prauge, how she had said that he tired her out. He had done it again - he had worn her down.<p>

John felt the precense of someone else standing beside him, annother man - annother man on trail he supposed, the man, tall and thin with dark hair and peircing green eyes, got out a packet of Malbro reds, John looked down at his own half smoked Silk Cut white.

"Here mate, can I bum a fag off you?" he asked the tall man,

"Course, here - you got a light?"

"Yeah - thanks ... what you in for?"

"TWOCing so they say , you?"

"GBH on my ex wife apparently."

"You do it?"

"No.

"Nah - me neither. I don't smoke neither."

John laughed into himself, " Me neither, me neither - although I am actaully incocent - I never touched my wife ... I got my new girl now - with a baby on the way. No need for me to rake up the past ..."

"Bates? John Bates - you're up." called the Garda from behind the two men.

"And that's my cue - good luck."

"You too mate - here, take a fag for the road - when you're in the shit - you need proper carcinogens!"


	7. Chapter 7

_**And so here dear friends is the end - the finale - Fin- I hope you've enjoyed my (often) substandard ramblings and witterings of John and Anna circa 2012!**_

_**As even and as always - reviews are welcome and always apreciated - even if you hated it!**_

_**Thanks for reading and I hope it hasn't been too awful!**_

* * *

><p>"Jane? Jane are you in here?"<p>

"Gwen? Yes, I'm just making a cup of tea, d'you want one?"

"Thanks ... have you heard anything from Anna?"

"No, why? Oh Christ was John's court case on today? Shite I meant to give Anna a call before it started, what time did it start?"

"Three I think she said, but I don't know how long these things last, but I would have though that by now ..."

"She hasn't texted me or called ... are you on sweetener or sugar this week?"

"Sweetner ... do you think it'll be alright? I mean it'll ruin Anna if John gets put away ..."

"Your tea's on the side there ... here Gwen ... do you think that John did it? I mean I know Anna swears blind he didn't ... and I know that John's a sweet lovely guy ... and as far as I'm concerned he wouldn't hurt a fly - but you hear stuff don't you ...?"

"If you mean the stuff that Thomas had been saying, then I wouldn't trust Dr Barrow as far as I can throw him. No, I think Anna's got her head screwed on, John's a good man."

"I didn't say he wasn't a good man ... but better men than John Bates have lost their head in a fight and laid into someone. Come on - let's give her a ring once this shift's over - she'll be done by seven won't she."

"I hope so ... !"

* * *

><p>It was even warmer inside the court room, the smell of damp warm wood filled Anna's nose and made her head swim, the dark wood and it's sticky varnish stuck to Anna's sweaty palms. There was a low hum of life as the court settled down, it was just a judge and the lawyers really, but the room felt packed. A Garda stood behind Anna laid a hand on her elbow.<p>

"Miss? Are you OK?"

"I'm fine ... really!" She replied, slightly sharper the she intended, she tried to cover it up with a small smile at the man, he returned it nervously. She didn't want to come across as a crazy hormonal bitch, but she knew that she wasn't doing a very good job.

"So, Miss Smith." Began Vera's lawyer, he was a small Irish man with a round pale little face and pale sandy hair oiled back off his face. "On the night of the ...uh ... forth of December, your partner, John Bates here, he went out for a while didn't he? What time did he return?"

"At around Seven o'clock ... in the evening."

"Around? It's very important to be precise in matters such as this."

"Well I don't know - about ten past maybe ... ?"

"About - come along Miss Smith!" Said Mr Cooper, a greasy smile on his lips as he watched her get flustered.

"Leave her alone - what's wrong with you man?" Shouted John from across the court,

"Calm down Mr Bates! Or you'll be asked to leave for the remainder of the trail." Said the judge quickly, although not angrily. He was a man who had been a judge for long enough to be a pretty good judge of character, he thought, even if John Bates had attacked his ex wife, if wasn't out of malice or a dangerous temprement, but out of utter fury and rage ... which was something quite different, and something that Mr Justice Molloy could understand, it seemed to him that very few people today really felt rage and fury about what was right and what was wrong. Mr Bates nodded at Molloy, he knew his place.

John bowed his head into the floor and took a few deep breaths, he mustn't loose his temper, even if that rat lawyer of Vera's; Cooper, was laying into Anna, he had to remain composed, he had to be calm, for Anna, for the baby.

"OK Miss Smith, so we'll say at _about_ ten past seven, you're partner John Bates returned home from ...?"

"Well from a walk ..."

"You know that how sorry Miss Smith?"

"I know because he told me ... he doesn't lie!"

"So - you have no actual proof that Mr Bates here was having a ... walk!" How did Mr Bates seem to you when he got back to his mothers house?"

"A ... a bit shocked and distracted I suppose, he had seen his ex wife and ... he had spoken to her briefly."

"Briefly? He didn't tell you that he had followed her home and beaten her senseless then?" Anna froze and felt her blood run cold, gripping the rail in front of her she felt the bile in her stomach rise, sick filling her throat and the room swam before her. She swallowed hard, burning the inside of her throat, her mouth was dry and she gripped the rail a little tighter to keep steady.

"He didn't tell me because he didn't do it."

"You don't know that Miss Smith - you don't know if Mr Bates had been drinking, you don't know ..." Anna's head lolled, the room darkened before her she felt her knees give way underneath her, as she began to fall she saw through half closed eyes John, leaning over the edge of his box shouting out to her;

"Anna? ANNA!" Then the darkness enveloped her and she remembered nothing more.

"Jesus Anna? Anna? Can you hear me? Someone get a doctor!" shouted John, he pushed past the Gardai who stood between him and Anna, he eased himself to his knees to take her hand.

"What? A doctor ...?" said the young Garda who had been standing behind Anna,

"Yes - she's eight months pregnant for ... just get a doctor!" shouted John again, he glanced across at Vera, who despite her usual evil intentions looked shocked, returning his attention to Anna he laid the back of his hand against her face, she was burning hot, it was warm in the court room and Anna seemed to be suffering. "God almighty," John breathed out, barely audible, "If I've done anything good let Anna be OK ..."

* * *

><p><strong>6 MONTHS LATER<strong>

* * *

><p>"We're going to see your Daddy aren't we little man ... sorry, what was that question?"<p>

"Any liquids madam?"

"Nope."

"Any thing flamable? Lighters? Petrol? Firelighters? Christmas crackers?"

"In October? ... No - no I havent."

"Thank you madam, your 6:30 Air Lingus flight to Cork city airport will be boarding at 5:50, you have priority boarding as you have a child under 3 years. If you could just go through security upstairs and to the left."

"Thank you!" Anna lifted the baby's car seat and walked over to the escaltor, the airport was busy with familys shipping out for the autumn half term holidays, familys that were so unlike her own little family unit - it had been so hard to spend any time with John the past 7 months, which him stuck in Cork and her in Yorkshire with her family. The baby was still at the tiny stage, although he had grown substantaily in the interim, growing that John had missed, but it couldn't be helped.

Once they were through security Anna reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her phone to write a text:

_*Hey lovely - both now en route - getting to the airport for 7:30 - love you lotts - Axx*_ as she repocketed her phone a voice came over the tannoy.

"Would all passengers on flight AL312D to Cork city please make their way to departure gate 5, that's deaprture gate 5 for all passengers on the 6:30 Air Lingus flight to Cork city."

_ *Hi love - great news - missing you both - J x*_ came the text reply as Anna switched off her phone at the deaprture gate.

* * *

><p>"How are you?"<p>

"Shattered! Getting up for a flight at 6:30 in the morning is not easy! But how are you? What time's the funeral?"

"One, and I'm fine - I mean last week I was pretty bad - but organising the funeral's helped."

"I'm sure she was grateful for all you've done to look after her this last six months."

"It's fine though, now you're here!"

"I'm sorry I couldn't come earlier on, I feel bad that you were left alone to look after you're mam, we should have dealt with it together!"

"You had the baby Anna ... he's far more important!"

"I know but I'm you're wife John! Wives are meant to stand at their husbands sides ... atleast to some degree!"

"My mother saw you marry me and saw the birth of our first child - she saw my son born on Irish soil - trust me Anna ... you have done more than enough !"

"Thank you ... hey maybe for the next baby we could actually enjoy the pregnancy!"

"Might be dull ... I wouldn't know what to do without a court case and a messy divorce going on!"

"We could go to ante-natal classes and I could complain about getting stretch marks and you could tell me I'm beautiful while secrately thinking I look really fat and hormonal!"

"Oh well when you put it like that! Here look Anna ..."

"What?"

"I told you my Mother left me the house in Cork in her will, well I was thinking ... I could sell it. And we could buy a small house in Dublin ... I've cousins in Dublin who can get me work. Back in Yorkshire I'll never get work, not with my criminal record ..."

"But you were found innocent, Vera was prosecuted for bringing false charges and perverting the course of justice ... I mean ..."

"I know ... but I've still ABH and GBH against the Gardai on my record. Would you be unhappy living in Dublin ... It's a great city - you could still be a nurse ... we have them over here too! What do you think Anna?"

"I think Mr Bates ... take I would follow you to the ends of the earth ... or atleast as far as Birmingham ... so I recon I could stretch to Dublin - if it's what you want!"

"Oh yes Mrs Bates ... I think it is."


End file.
